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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tube — the underground
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — in music
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bulb — for light
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. tube — a container
  15. bulb — for light
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — for digging
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com